Poverty occurs in three ways. We shall see some examples from the scriptures. 1. A life of struggle from the onset. It is manifested by a life of struggle from Childhood to the grave if nothing is done. Such people with a spirit of poverty may do things that should normally take an ordinary person one or two years for upward of 7 - 10 years and may not be worried about the situation. Most of them always rejoice by the statement, "This is the way I have been struggling in my life - struggle has been my life. What’s strange about it?" Everything! Examples of people who struggled in life abound in the scripture. i. Jabez: A man born in sorrow and named sorrow. Each time the name Jabez was called they were acknowledging the life style of the bearer. Sorrow surrounded him. He was an outcast, an unwanted person in the community. What would people think of a name that means sorrow? When you wake up in the morning, the first thing you would hear is your name meaning sorrow from daybreak to sunset. Everything about you is sorrow; surely you must be in for sorrowful days. In 1 Chronicles 4: 9, 10 the bible relates his life story. "And Jabez was more honorable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I have him with sorrow. And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it May not grieve me! And God granted him that which be requested". What a brief story! Poverty is a destiny killer. How can a honourable man be called ‘sorrow’. He was declared to be honourable than his brethren, an indication that he was destined for honour and greatness. Sorrow which is an index of suffering and struggle surrounded him like a wall. He knew definitely that he was born for honor and excellence, he therefore prayed himself out of sorrow. He asked the Lord to bless him, enlarge him and that God’s hand might be with him and to know no grieve no more. And God granted him as his requested. This shows that God is against sorrow, endless struggle and grief. ii Jacob: A supplanter was born with a silver spoon. He was born into riches. He was supposed to be a rich man by inheritance but began a life of struggle from childhood. God had chosen him to supersede his elder brother but a spirit of struggle which is synonymous with poverty had been following him from childhood. Poverty or struggle is a destiny killer. Jacob had been destined for greatness from conception but everything from his birth was against him for no reasons, a spirit had overtaken him. In Genesis 21: 22, 23. "And the children struggled together within her; and she said, if it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the Lord. "And the Lord said unto her, two nations are in thy womb and two manners of people shall be separated from thy bowels and the one people shall be stronger that the other people and the elder shall serve the younger". From conception, there had been struggle, though born into riches he still could not believe that things could be easy for him. He had to scheme for his right. He could not wait for God to fulfill His promises upon his life. The graph of his lie was nothing to write home about - constantly undulating - today down tomorrow - even almost despairing of life. Until the encounter in Genesis 32 and 33, he was a shadow of what God had purposed for him or destined him to be. He struggled to be the first born by holding tight the heels of his brother. He deceitfully took the birth right of his senior brother. Ran away from home and was duped by his father - in - law 10 times. He literally changed his wages (salary) ten times! People with this spirit always look older than their age. In spite of Jacob dreaming of angels, the situation did not change until he WRESTLED with the angel of the Lord at the brook Jabok. The prayer of wrestling contest with the angel that lasted a whole night altered the situation. From that victory in prayer he began to move upward till he had enough for himself and his children. Hear him tell his past story to Pharaoh in Genesis 47 : 7 - 10, "And Joseph brought in Jacob his father and set him before Pharaoh; and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, "How old art thou?" And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, "The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years; few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage". And Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out before Pharaoh". Perhaps the look of Jacob made Pharaoh to ask for his age. Poverty will make a man look older than necessary. Thank God for his grace that transforms. Jacob died a rich man having enough to give for food in the midst of escalating price without complaints and even gave extra money to buy corn in the land of Egypt. There are many distinguished fellows today who cannot translate their distinction into wealth. There are many people today all over the world who actually are successful in their vocations or endeavors but are poor. Some others are known all over the place but their fame and recognition could not be translated into monetary blessing. This is the situation of Benny Hinn for several years before the Lord intervened after he submitted himself unto the Lord. In one of the minister’s conferences he had around the world, he was narrating how for several years the Lord wrought miracles through his ministry. Many sick people had been healed and saved, lives have been touched and many had been financially, transformed yet he was living yet he was living form hand to mouth. One day at a meeting a senior minister was ministering on poverty and its attendant’s problems He specifically mentioned how someone could be successful yet will still be plagued by the spirit of poverty according to him, "I saw my situation and submitted myself to God’s word. I prayed the prayer of deliverance suggested by the servant of God. I was prayed for immediately, it happened just as if a barrier had been taken away and every thing seems let loose. My book title, Good morning Holy Spirit that had been written and I had been struggling to sell, within that one year sold over 2 million copies. The barrier over the finance was taken away and money started coming in today I can say that I am comfortable and I can help others too. I praise God for His great power of deliverance. 2. The second from of poverty is the most dangerous and must be detested like a plague. This is poverty beyond the prime of life. After much labour has been exerted and one had enjoyed a commensurate success or wealth, suddenly one finds oneself on the downward trend where you begin to be in want. This is a disaster because the youthful strength to labour would be no more; all that would be left would be a life of regret where one remembers the good life one had enjoyed. The end result may be suicide or untimely death This second kind of poverty may be linked with inheritance or demonic attack. An example of this could be found in the life of Job as recorded in the book of Job chapters 1 and 2. In Job chapter 1vs 1 - 5, the story is that of a successful, affluent family with a serious godly touch. "There was man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job, and that man was perfect and upright; and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. And there were born unto him seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camel, and five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred she assess and a very great household; so that this man was The greatest of all men in the east". In vs. 9 "Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, doth Job fear God for naught? Hast thou not made a hedge about him and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face". Vs. 11 "So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord". Vs. 12 b The oxen business came to an abrupt end. They were all slain by the Serbian’s sword. Only a messenger was left to tell the bad and the painful news. All the businesses were destroyed and all his children also died. "Then Job arose, and rent his mantel and shares his head, and fell down upon the ground and worshiped," "And said, "Naked came I out of my mother’s womb and naked shall I return thither, the Lord gave and the Lord had taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord". Verses 20, 21. What a painful situation! No wonder his wife asked him to curse God and die. Commit quick suicide. Were it not for the intervention of God in the life and situation of Job, he would have been destroyed by the catastrophe that befell him because he had no answer to the demonic attacks unleashed against him. There are people today with similar situations. They have had all the good things of life before, now they have nothing to refer to without their being directly responsible for wastage or loss of their properties. Poverty will make a man to despair of life and feel hopeless. Poverty is a spirit; it makes one feel that the good things of life are out of reach and not meant for him. Marketing of good quality product will be seen as expensive and worldly. It places a limitation on the kind of cloth to wear shoes to put on and some kinds of vehicles as worldly. 2. Another source of poverty could be by inheritance, if this trend is noticed in any family, it could be demonic attacks, such persons may become less sensitive to spiritual things and become complacent. They may assume that they are secure and safe, that nothing could happen to us since "we are the righteousness of God in Christ". Limitation and Restriction: A Case Study A couple with the problem of limitation narrated their story: When the husband was twenty - six (26) he had already built a three bedroom four flat house and owned a Porsche car. Having been prospered by God, he believed that the source of his money couldn’t become dry. Every time he was to embark on a capital project, series of problems would crop up that would not allow him to execute the project. However, the money he had earmarked for the project would be spent all the same. The situation continued till he got married at age twenty - nine (29). He did not take the problem seriously because he did not consider it as a problem. After he got married, the situation worsened, because the wife brought her own problems into the marriage also. For the space of ten (10) years, he had already had five (5) capital projects started and abandoned . He also laid the foundation of two (20 new houses that never got beyond the starting point. They never had any problem with cash flow; they never had problem with money. Only that they would not have a new project completed after the house and the car they had. After ten years of unfruitful efforts to improve their lot, it however dawned on them that they have been caged. The money that has passed through their hands as profit from their business was enough to build ten (10) extra houses. This is a case of restriction and limitation in spite of all the resources available at their disposals. However they tried everything they knew to change their situation but there was no improvement because they could not identify the root cause of the problem. Every effort to improve their lot always met with resistance that seemed like a ceiling or an invisible barrier. Retrogression and Limitations The desire of every good parent is that their children should do better in life than they had done. Their children should accomplish greater heights than they had achieved. This is a true and continuous success. In most cases, parents leave fortunes for their children but the children struggle to maintain what parents had left behind without even thinking of superseding what they inherited. No wonder Jesus said "greater works than this shall ye do also" knowing fully well that there is an innate ability to excel and improve upon the record He laid down. It is our duty to work out how to do beyond what Jesus did. A Case Study I happened to be at a burial ceremony recently and made some observations. There were many gigantic buildings in the town but most of the houses have tombs beside them. Upon inquiries, I was told that the tombs were for the owners of the houses cut down at their primes. They had struggled to be somebody in life and had been cut down at the time they were to enjoy their riches. Interestingly, most of these people were born-again yet were cut down by the hand of the enemy because of ignorance. Their children were left to struggle in life because they were at their youthful teens when they couldn’t manage money or business adequately. The ultimate act of the limiting spirit is death. Once you break its limit it is like you have crossed the boundary and you have to pay the ultimate price. DEATH! Biblical illustrations I shall be using two imprisonment stories to illustrate the spirit of limitation and how it relates to poverty. "Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of he church. "And he killed James, the brother of John with the sword. "And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread). And when he had apprehended him, put him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. "Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. "And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two Chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. "And behold the angel of the Lord came upon him, and light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. "And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. "And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision". Acts "Now as soon as it was day there was no small stir among the soldiers what was become of Peter. "And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and there abode. "And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain their friend, desire peace; because their country was nourished by the king’s country. "And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, set upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. "And the people gave a shout, saying, it is the voice of a god, and not of a man. "And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost". Acts 12: 18 - 23. Peter and James were imprisoned due to hatred. They have just started a new ministry that seemed to be enjoying the favor of many to the detriment of a previous existing ministry in their society. Businesses like ministries that spring forth and begin to enjoy the favor of the world around them are subject to attack. Many people that show traits of academic prospects in life have been seriously attacked. They, like Peter and James are usually not prepared at all to face the enemy headlong. They may eventually compromise with the enemy or they loose out totally. Restrictions, limitations, life of struggle and untimely death have been placed or planted on people without their being able to identify actually what really were happening. It could take a kiss with death or something closer to awaken them to a full consciousness of events happening to them. Peter and James initially were not bothered; even the Free Church thought their leaders were superstars who could not be killed. "Is it only imprisonment" they might have said "In just few days they would soon be out of the problem". But the sudden death of James brought a different attitude. They were faced with the reality of Peter also being killed. Perhaps it had been rumored that it was his turn (Peter). The fear of loosing two prominent leaders at a time and the attendant problem for the church woke the church to its responsibility. They literally prayed down the heavens and opened the prison doors and let Peter out to the place of safety. They made God to fulfill his word in Isaiah 49: 25, 26. "But thus saith the Lord, Even the captive of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered for I will contend with him that contented with thee, and I will save thy children. "And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine and all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy Savior and thy Redeemer, the MIGHTY one of Jacob". After the prison doors were opened and the chains fell off, the prison warders who under normal circumstances would have been tormenting Peter were killed instead of Peter. The ultimate price for limitation is death, the spirit of limitation exacted its price but the warders paid for it. Physical death and death to creativity are the hallmarks of limitation. They will eventually be forgotten and their burial place will not be known. Let us go further in our illustration. Peter and James’ attitude typifies the attitude of people under the scourge of limitation, retrogression and poverty. They easily give up. Peter must have accepted death as his lot. Since we’re not told that he prayed for deliverance like Paul and Silas in Acts 16: 25. Since James had been killed then, what more? Thanks God for the prayer team, prayer band and intercessors! They made the difference in Peter’s life. They prayed all night, violently with all intensity until an angel came down. Our second illustration resembles the first but with a different attitude to their imprisonment from the actor in Acts 16: 19 - 31: "And when her masters saw the hope of their gains was one, they were caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers. "And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city. "And teach customs, which are lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans. "And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes and commanded to beat them. "And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: "Who having received such a charge, thrust them into inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. "And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. "And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed. "And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. "But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. "Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, "And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? "And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy House". Imprisonment also came after a successful outreach. The purpose was to restrict them, and keep them away from circulation so that their good effect upon the society would wear out and evil men at work could gain ascendancy again. The triumph of the enemy or the evil one was imminent! But Paul and Silas’s attitude made the difference. They prayed violently with all their strength such that the prisoners heard them. Our attitude to God, His word and our situation counts in times like this. Fear had no place in their dictionary. "If He is God and He wants us to die like this" was out of the point. They prayed and sang praises and an earthquake rocked the prison. They had nobody to pray for them but they took it upon themselves to get themselves free from demonic restrictions. What was their offence? Nothing but the people’s hatred, demonic attack, antagonism and restriction. All oppositions were demonic in nature and they rose up like billows against them. They were thrust into the inner dungeon in anger seeking for their extinction. They refused the plan of the devil and enforced the plan of God. Truly, it is the violent men that take the kingdom of heaven by force (imprisonment). Let’s draw some parallels between the imprisonment of Peter and James, Paul and Silas. * They were restricted because of their imprisonment. * They were not able to continue in their successful ventures again. * They were limited in the following ways: Movement - They could only move on the same spot because they were tied down. Food - They could not eat what they wanted but what was offered to them. Clothing - They entered the prison yard with only one cloth and were not allowed a change of apparel. They were limited as to what to wear. Relationship - No friend could visit them, they kept company of prisoners, if at all they were allowed to have other company it would have been the modern day prison staff. No family member could visit them and if they did, it had to be with visiting permits. Opinion - They could not be heard again, they were now subjected to torture by other people. They had to carry out and live under the instruction of others. * They were already sentenced to die in the prison. * They were seriously beaten up before being locked up. * This was slow death. * They will not be allowed to the best medical treatment available. * They were delivered by the ministration of angels. * The mighty hand of the Almighty delivered them. * The prison officials slept soundly so much that it was after their release that they woke up. * The prison officials received their punishment instead. An average person under the attack of poverty, retrogression and limitations will begin to lose favor in the place of work, among family members and friends.
Posted on: Sun, 07 Jul 2013 23:03:17 +0000
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